1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a variable focusing flashlight, more particularly to a variable focusing flashlight which can be easily manufactured so as to reduce the manufacturing cost of the flashlight, and which has an improved construction for preventing light rays generated by the lamp of the flashlight from causing discomfort to the user's eyes when the flashlight is used as a candle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The improvement of this invention is directed to a conventional variable focusing flashlight which has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,408 by the applicant of the present invention.
The conventional variable focusing flashlight, as disclosed, includes a barrel for housing a battery therein. A tail cap is mounted on one end of the barrel and has a compression spring provided thereon for urging the battery towards the other end of the barrel. A lamp has a pair of lamp terminals. A lamp base is used to retain the lamp adjacent the other end of the barrel.
The lamp base includes a stationary receptacle mounted within the other end of the barrel and having a bottom side and an axially extending through bore formed therein. A first conductor is mounted in the stationary receptacle and is connected electrically to one of the lamp terminals. The first conductor has one end which extends radially along the bottom side of the stationary receptacle within the circumference of the barrel. A second conductor is mounted in the stationary receptacle and couples electrically the other one of the lamp terminals and the barrel. A movable receptacle has a plate portion disposed between the stationary receptacle and the battery source. The plate portion is formed with an opening and an upward extension which extends slidably into the through bore of the stationary receptacle and which is longer than the through bore. A movable contact is provided in the opening.
The variable focusing flashlight further includes a head assembly which is mounted rotatably on the other end of the barrel and which has a substantially planar lens and a substantially parabolic reflector with an open tail end to receive the lamp. The open tail end of the reflector abuts against one end of the upward extension of the movable receptacle. The head assembly is controllably translatable along the barrel when rotated with respect to the barrel.
Rotation of the head assembly in a direction toward the barrel causes the reflector to push the movable receptacle and the battery against the action of the spring, thereby moving the movable contact away from the first conductor to break electrical connection between the lamp and the battery. Rotation of the head assembly in a direction away from the barrel causes the spring to expand and push the movable receptacle and the movable contact toward the first conductor to make electrical connection between the lamp and the battery.
The conventional variable focusing flashlight has the following drawbacks:
1. In order to enhance an appearance of the conventional flashlight, the inner and outer surfaces of the barrel of the flashlight are coated simultaneously with an anodized coating by means of anodic oxidation. The anodized coating is a relatively thin protective film which has abrasion-resistant, electrically resistant, and anti-corrosion properties. Thus, several portions of the inner anodized coating have to be scraped off so as to permit electrical contact between the barrel and the second conductor when the conventional flashlight is assembled. Owing to the above-described step, the manufacture of the conventional flashlight is therefore relatively inconvenient to conduct and results in a higher manufacturing cost. PA1 2. When the head assembly is removed from the barrel to permit the conventional flashlight to function as a candle, the light rays generated by the lamp bulb may cause discomfort to the user's eyes.